# Universalis vs The Catholic Thing

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universalis at 95% against The Catholic Thing's 0%. Universalis also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). The Catholic Thing's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 11). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

The Catholic Thing is free to download; Universalis costs $9.99 up front. Universalis sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The Catholic Thing asks for nothing beyond the download.

Universalis holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universalis has 9.4K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Universalis's written reviews are positive against 0% of The Catholic Thing's.

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, The Catholic Thing every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universalis | The Catholic Thing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (9.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719/reviews)** | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-catholic-thing/id6447444891/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.4K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **94.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 79 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Universalis Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/284942722) | [Slynet Communications, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403137952) |

## What reviewers say

### Universalis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

This app provides the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass readings for every day, along with additional spiritual content. It offers offline access, customizable display options, and optional spoken audio. It's designed for daily prayer and spiritual enrichment.

**Highlights:** Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office), Daily Mass readings and prayers, Offline access, Customizable display (fonts, themes), Spiritual reading and commentaries, Optional spoken audio add-on

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Mass Readings | $1.99 | per month |
| Daytime Hours | $2.99 | per month |
| All Hours | $2.99 | per month |
| Daily Mass Readings | $19.99 | per year |
| Daytime Hours | $29.99 | per year |
| All Hours | $29.99 | per year |
| Add-on translation: RSV Hours | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sung Latin Compline | $3.99 | one-time |
| Revelations of Divine Love | $5.99 | one-time |
| Journey into Light | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Wonderful Catholic app
- 🙌 Great app for Catholic devotions
- 📚 This is a wonderful app for the laity
- 🙏 Excellent resource for Mass and Liturgy of the Hours
- 🌟 Comprehensive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Hymns selection could be improved
- 🤔 Navigation can be confusing
- 🤔 Kenyan version text does not match book
- 🤔 Difficult to navigate, missing menu buttons

**Reported bugs**

- Gospel readings sometimes incorrect
- App crashes when trying to change hymns or readings

**Requested features**

- Add Salesian saints and young saints
- Include NAB translation for US users
- Add option for 1962 liturgical calendar
- Improve hymn selection, especially for seasons
- Implement more inclusive language in prayers


### The Catholic Thing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-catholic-thing/id6447444891)

This app provides a platform for thoughtful Catholic commentary and discussion. It serves as a forum for intelligent perspectives on faith and culture. Access insightful articles and engage with a community of Catholic thinkers.

**Highlights:** Intelligent Catholic commentary, Forum for discussion, Faith and culture perspectives, Insightful articles, Community engagement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universalis free?

Universalis costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is The Catholic Thing free?

The Catholic Thing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Universalis or The Catholic Thing?

Universalis is rated higher. Universalis averages 4.9 out of 5 from 9.4K ratings, while The Catholic Thing averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.

### Do Universalis or The Catholic Thing have ads?

Neither Universalis nor The Catholic Thing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universalis or The Catholic Thing?

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Catholic Thing every 9 months. Most recently, Universalis was updated on September 25, 2026 and The Catholic Thing on July 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*